List of flags of convenience
Encyclopedia
The International Transport Workers' Federation
maintains a list of 32 registries it considers to be flag of convenience
registries. In developing the list, the ITF considers "ability and willingness of the flag state to enforce international minimum social standards on its vessels," the "degree of ratification and enforcement of ILO Conventions and Recommendations," and "safety and environmental record." The following registries are on the ITF list (with figures sourced from the CIA World Factbook):
International Transport Workers' Federation
The International Transport Workers' Federation is a global union federation of transport workers' trade unions, founded in 1896. In 2009 the ITF had 654 member organizations in 148 countries, representing a combined membership of 4.5 million workers....
maintains a list of 32 registries it considers to be flag of convenience
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
registries. In developing the list, the ITF considers "ability and willingness of the flag state to enforce international minimum social standards on its vessels," the "degree of ratification and enforcement of ILO Conventions and Recommendations," and "safety and environmental record." The following registries are on the ITF list (with figures sourced from the CIA World Factbook):
| Registry | Ships Registered | Foreign-owned ships | Percent Foreign | Foreign-owned ship profile | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda International Shipping Register |
1,219 | 1,186 | 97% | Germany 1050, Denmark 20, Estonia 20, Netherlands 18, Latvia 16, Iceland 9, Norway 9, Switzerland 7, Turkey 7, US 6, Greece 5, Lithuania 4, Russia 3, Isle of Man 2, Mexico 2, NZ 2, Poland 2, Albania 1, Colombia 1, Slovenia 1, Sweden 1 | |
 The Bahamas Bahamas Maritime Authority |
1,170 | 1,080 | 92% | Greece 209, Norway 198, Canada 102, US 100, Japan 93, Denmark 59, Germany 39, Poland 32, UAE 27, UK 24, Netherlands 22, France 19, Saudi Arabia 16, Cyprus 14, Monaco 14, Malaysia 13, Bermuda 12, Belgium 9, Spain 9, Finland 8, Singapore 7, Guernsey 6, Sweden 6, Angola 5, Italy 5, China 4, Thailand 4, Ireland 3, Turkey 3, Hong Kong 2, Indonesia 2, Jordan 2, Kuwait 2, Montenegro 2, Nigeria 2, Switzerland 2, Brazil 1, Croatia 1, Slovenia 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1. | |
 Barbados Barbados Maritime Ship Registry |
95 | 89 | 94% | Norway 41, Greece 14, Canada 13, UK 7, Sweden 6, Iran 4, Lebanon 2, Syria 1, Turkey 1 | |
 Belize International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize |
231 | 171 | 74% | China 64, Russia 32, Turkey 18, Latvia 10, Singapore 7, Ukraine 6, UAE 5, UK 4, Italy 3, Norway 3, Greece 2, Iceland 2, Lithuania 2, Nigeria 2, Syria 2, Chile 1, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, Netherlands 1, Peru 1, Spain 1 | China refuses diplomatic relations with Belize |
 Bermuda Bermuda Department of Maritime Administration |
139 | 114 | 82% | US 25, Sweden 17, Germany 15, China 13, UK 11, Nigeria 11, Hong Kong 5, Norway 5, Israel 3, Greece 2, Ireland 2, Japan 2, Monaco 2, France 1 | |
 Bolivia Bolivia |
22 | 7 | 32% | Syria 4, Bahamas 1, Ecuador 1, Iran 1 | Bolivia is a landlocked nation |
 Cambodia International Ship Registry of Cambodia |
620 | 426 | 69% | China 203, Russia 60, Ukraine 37, Turkey 26, Syria 22, Egypt 12, Hong Kong 11, South Korea 11, Cyprus 8, Lebanon 6, Singapore 4, US 4, UK 3, Canada 2, Greece 2, Indonesia 2, Japan 2, UAE 2, Belgium 1, Estonia 1, French Polynesia 1, Gabon 1, Latvia 1, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Taiwan 1, Vietnam 1 | |
 Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Shipping Registry |
113 | 99 | 88% | US 54, Japan 19, Greece 11, Germany 6, Italy 6, UK 2, Switzerland 1 | |
 Comoros Maritime Administration of the Union of Comoros |
177 | 98 | 55% | Russia 21, Turkey 16, UAE 11, Ukraine 10, Bulgaria 8, Syria 6, Greece 3, Lebanon 3, Lithuania 3, Pakistan 3, Cyprus 2, Norway 2, US 2, Bangladesh 1, China 1, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Latvia 1, Monaco 1, Nigeria 1, UK 1 | |
 Cyprus Republic of Cyprus Department of Merchant Shipping |
839 | 637 | 76% | Greece 216, Germany 189, Russia 47, Netherlands 24, Poland 20, Japan 19, France 16, Norway 12, Iran 10, Estonia 7, Spain 7, UK 7, US 7, China 6, Denmark 6, Italy 6, Sweden 5, UAE 5, Slovenia 4, Ireland 3, Belgium 2, Canada 2, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Portugal 2, Ukraine 2, Austria 1, Bermuda 1, Chile 1, Cuba 1, Israel 1, Monaco 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 1, Syria 1 | |
 Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea |
4 | 1 | 25% | Norway 1 | |
 Early Modern France French International Ship Register |
167 | 57 | 34% | Denmark 12, French Polynesia 12, Belgium 7, Sweden 6, China 5, Switzerland 5, New Caledonia 3, Singapore 3, Germany 1, Norway 1, NZ 1, Spain 1 | |
 Germany German International Ship Register |
421 | 10 | 2% | Finland 5, China 2, Greece 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 1 | |
 Georgia (country) Georgia |
193 | 132 | 68% | Syria 35, Turkey 22, Ukraine 15, China 11, Egypt 11, Romania 7, Russia 7, Germany 4, Hong Kong 4, UK 4, Greece 3, Italy 2, Denmark 1, Israel 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Pakistan 1, UAE 1, US 1 | |
 Gibraltar Gibraltar Registry of Shipping |
265 | 250 | 94% | Germany 125, Norway 42, Netherlands 33, Sweden 12, Greece 7, Denmark 6, UAE 5, Italy 4, Morocco 4, UK 4, Belgium 2, Finland 2, Cyprus 1, Iceland 1, Jersey 1, Singapore 1 | |
 Honduras Honduras |
104 | 49 | 41% | Singapore 12, South Korea 6, Bahrain 5, Greece 4, Japan 4, China 2, Egypt 2, Lebanon 2, Montenegro 2, Taiwan 2, Canada 1, Hong Kong 1, Israel 1, Mexico 1, Panama 1, Tanzania 1, UK 1, Vietnam 1 | China refuses diplomatic relations with Honduras |
 Jamaica Jamaica Ship Registry |
19 | 19 | 100% | Germany 10, Greece 8, Denmark 1 | |
 Lebanon Lebanon |
29 | 3 | 10% | Syria 3 | |
 Liberia Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry |
2,512 | 2,356 | 94% | Germany 1049, Greece 454, Russia 108, Japan 102, Taiwan 88, Italy 48, Hong Kong 47, Norway 42, US 39, Netherlands 35, Israel 31, Singapore 27, UAE 27, UK 25, Saudi Arabia 24, Brazil 20, Isle of Man 19, Switzerland 17, Ukraine 16, Turkey 15, Poland 13, China 10, Monaco 10, Sweden 10, Latvia 9, Chile 7, Cyprus 7, Gibraltar 5, Qatar 5, Slovenia 5, Bermuda 4, Canada 4, Denmark 4, Indonesia 4, Nigeria 4, Argentina 3, Romania 3, Vietnam 3, Australia 2, Croatia 2, Finland 2, Angola 1, Belgium 1, India 1, Lebanon 1, South Korea 1, Syria 1, Uruguay 1 | |
 Malta Malta Maritime Authority |
1,571 | 1,401 | 89% | Greece 458, Turkey 211, Germany 127, Norway 84, Iran 56, Italy 52, Russia 47, Denmark 41, US 35, Ukraine 30, Cyprus 29, Poland 22, Estonia 16, UK 16, Belgium 14, Switzerland 14, France 13, China 11, Latvia 11, Spain 10, Bermuda 8, Romania 8, Angola 7, Bulgaria 7, Croatia 7, Lebanon 7, Israel 5, Japan 5, Syria 5, India 4, Libya 4, Slovenia 4, Luxembourg 3, Portugal 3, Singapore 3, South Korea 3, Sweden 3, Finland 2, Hong Kong 2, Kuwait 2, Netherlands 2, Austria 1, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 1, Egypt 1, Ireland 1, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, UAE 1 | |
 Marshall Islands International Registries, Inc (Marshall Islands) |
1,381 | 1,284 | 93% | Greece 358, Germany 247, US 168, Turkey 72, Norway 57, Japan 41, Cyprus 38, Bermuda 34, Singapore 28, South Korea 25, Qatar 24, Monaco 21, Latvia 18, UAE 17, China 16, Netherlands 16, Croatia 12, Switzerland 12, Malaysia 11, Jersey 9, India 8, Denmark 7, UK 7, Russia 6, Slovenia 6, Canada 4, Mexico 4, Hong Kong 3, Iraq 2, Isle of Man 2, Romania 2, Taiwan 2, Australia 1, Brazil 1, Egypt 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Pakistan 1, Ukraine 1 | China refuses diplomatic relations with Marshall Islands |
 Mauritius Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport & Shipping (Mauritius) |
3 | 0 | 0% | ||
 Mongolia Mongolia Ship Registry |
58 | 44 | 76% | Vietnam 34, Russia 4, Indonesia 2, North Korea 1, Singapore 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1 | Mongolia is a landlocked nation |
 Myanmar Myanmar (Burma) |
26 | 3 | 12% | Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1 | |
 Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Antilles |
120 | 101 | 84% | Netherlands 52, Germany 32, Turkey 8, Angola 2, Norway 2, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Hong Kong 1, Sweden 1 | Netherlands Antilles dissolved as of October 10, 2010 |
 North Korea North Korea |
158 | 19 | 12% | Syria 6, UAE 6, Singapore 2, Belgium 1, China 1, Nigeria 1, Romania 1, South Korea 1 | |
 Panama Autoridad Marítima de Panamá |
6,379 | 5,244 | 82% | Japan 2347, China 574, Greece 402, South Korea 366, Taiwan 337, Hong Kong 125, US 102, Norway 89, UAE 83, Singapore 79, Turkey 79, Denmark 46, Syria 42, Spain 40, Russia 39, Vietnam 37, UK 33, Germany 27, Italy 23, Switzerland 22, Chile 17, India 17, Bermuda 15, Indonesia 14, Monaco 14, France 13, Jordan 13, Kuwait 12, Malaysia 12, Peru 12, Egypt 11, Isle of Man 11, Ukraine 11, Portugal 9, Cyprus 8, Netherlands 8, Oman 8, Saudi Arabia 8, Venezuela 8, Argentina 7, Bahamas 7, Nigeria 7, Bulgaria 6, Ecuador 6, Mexico 6, Philippines 6, Thailand 6, Australia 5, Canada 5, Iran 5, Pakistan 5, Cuba 4, Latvia 4, Lithuania 4, Yemen 4, Albania 3, Bangladesh 3, Brazil 3, Burma 3, Maldives 3, Poland 3, Belgium 2, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Finland 2, Lebanon 2, Malta 2, Romania 2, Tanzania 2, Azerbaijan 1, Gabon 1, Gibraltar 1, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Luxembourg 1, Morocco 1, Qatar 1, Sweden 1, Tunisia 1 | China refuses diplomatic relations with Panama |
 São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe |
3 | 1 | 33% | Greece 1 | |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines SVG Maritime Administration (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) |
444 | 382 | 86% | China 82, Greece 63, Denmark 19, US 19, Turkey 18, Latvia 15, Russia 15, Syria 13, Norway 12, Ukraine 12, Bulgaria 10, Estonia 10, Lithuania 10, Croatia 8, UK 7, Belgium 6, Italy 5, Switzerland 5, Egypt 4, Hong Kong 4, Lebanon 4, UAE 4, Israel 3, Japan 3, Monaco 3, Austria 2, Cyprus 2, France 2, Germany 2, Guyana 2, Kenya 2, Netherlands 2, Slovenia 2, Sweden 2, Bangladesh 1, Bermuda 1, Czech Republic 1, Dominica 1, Nigeria 1, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 1, Romania 1, Venezuela 1 | China refuses diplomatic relations with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
 Sri Lanka Merchant Shipping Division (Sri Lanka) |
22 | 5 | 23% | Germany 5 | |
 Tonga Tonga |
10 | 3 | 30% | Australia 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1 | International registry suspended in 2002. |
 Vanuatu Vanuatu Maritime Services Limited |
72 | 70 | 97% | Japan 44, Poland 7, Canada 5, Greece 4, Ukraine 3, Australia 2, Belgium 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Russia 1, UAE 1 |